FPD was founded in 2009, thanks the Regional Governament which granted its foundation on the basis of the activities planned for the social development of the regional rural areas. It is a non-profit regional civil organization, made by young and senior people. It's mission is to promote and facilitate the development of rural areas of the Puglia Region, thanks to the implementation of projects concerning volunteering, youth, social inclusion, environment protection, sustainable development, promotion of the importance of biodiversity, organic farming, nature and sport and outdoor activities. FPD focuses its attention on European mobility, both for the personal development of its single members and for the growth of local partner organizations at International level. The main target group is youth under 35 y.o., but the organization also works with senior people. Both the categories have in common the fact they are made of disadvantaged people from rural areas. The young people are mainly NEET, which means FPD offers them several opportunities to learn, be trained and educated at local and European level in order to enrich their curricula and get more chances for their job-placement or self-employment. FPD cooperates with several Public and Private entities at all levels, such as: a) Municipality of Taurisano (IT) - FPD cooperates in the organization of local events in several fields (waste collection, Music festivals, youth participation in decision making processes, cultural activities, music events, photo exhibitions....); b) Province of Lecce (IT) – FPD had a project concerning young people's involvement in local initiatives concerning ecology and biological food, re-use of different materials and recycle of waste; c) Region of Puglia (IT) – FPD cooperates with its Region on projects concerning promotion of natural resources of rural areas; d) Several EU NGOs are partners in the implementation of Youth Exchanges, Youth and Democracy projects, Training Courses, seminars, workshops, volunteering activties in different fields. What is more, FPD is member of numerous European Networks financed by the Europe for Citizens Programme, for the valorization of the EU Cultural Heritage (tangible, intangible, digital and natural), the promotion of Youth Mobility for learning, training, working, studying and volunteering abroad, the active participation (mainly digital participation) at EU level of youth and seniors.

EUtopia is a reality immersed in the countryside of Northern Italy. Participants will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a rural environment, coming into direct contact with the nature and outdoor life. EUtopia's mission is to give new life to the structure and the surrounding land, with the idea of making it a safe and inclusive place for highly vulnerable young people in future European exchange and volunteering projects. The idea is that volunteers will connect with the local community and learn about the history of the surrounding area. Important: physical teamwork will be required. Main activities: farm maintenance; upcycling activities; green maintenance; agriculture; cooking; sports activities; physical health (bicycle rides; swimming pool; soccer; etc.). EUtopia is an opportunity for personal and collective growth, where volunteers, through manual labor and social integration, will contribute to creating a more inclusive and sustainable world for future generations.

Pocket money: 17€ per day (the traveling expenses, Visa and insurance costs are NOT included). Traveling expenses: not provided. Accommodation: It will be a logistically challenging environment. Large structure divided into living and sleeping area. There are several bedrooms that will be shared by volunteers (3 or more in each room) and only 4 bathrooms will be available. In case you can also use a camping tent. Food: the volunteers will help our staff cooking through working shifts.

The chosen participants will get training on all required tasks. The tasks are practical and their impact will affect the improvement of the place. The basic information will be discussed together during training times, upon arrival, and during the month. Photos and videos will be required to document the activities during the month.

The Participant profile: The profile of the ideal volunteer is a person who is available for the entire whole month of activities and has strong adaptability. We are looking for a person who is willing to get their hands dirty and provide ideas to make the place better. Minimum requirements: Resident or citizen of an EU country; Ready for Teamwork; Capacity to adapt to basic life conditions (shared rooms, limited shower time, etc). We will get back only to pre-selected candidates.
Deadline: No application deadline

The project is implemented under the European Solidarity Corps Programme, financed by the European Commission.
The participating organisations have to be mindful of these needs as they are responsible for providing a respectful and trusting hosting environment. At the same time, the organisations participating in the initiative devote a great deal of time, energy and resources to set up a high-quality activity; they should therefore expect that European Solidarity Corps participants show a similar level of respect for the local communities and the people that are directly concerned by the activities (https://youth.europa.eu/solidarity/mission_en).
What do we provide ?

• Training before and after the project
• Health insurance during your project
• round-trip travel reimbursement
• accommodation and food
• pocket money
• language course
• Return Week-end
• Youth Pass and SVI international Volunteer passport

Before applying for this volunteering project, you need to enroll yourself at European Solidarity Corps Platform (https://europa.eu/youth/solidarity_en) and specify your European Solidarity Corps Participant Number (PRN).
This organisation holds a European Solidarity Corps Quality Label.
Contact the ESC coordinator at +32 2 888 67 13 to get more informations.